Some people love to ascribe time limits to when they can and can't do things.
There are sayings out there such as "LA is for your 30s," or "I could only do that in my 20s," or "I feel like I'm in my 80s," when you are doing something like eating peanuts and watching Designing Women.
The truth is, we can do these things whenever. Though it's fun to ascribe ourself these limitations, they aren't necessarily accurate. but sometimes, people make the choice to leave things for later.
With life both being "no day but today" and an incomprehensible stretch of time among us, it's natural to reserve some things for later.
A Redditor asked:
"What is something you are holding off doing until you are much older?"
Here were some of those answers.
Opiods Or Amphetamines? Choose
"Meth. If I'm like 97 and not cryopreserved or if I get a terminal diagnosis, I'm not going out like a b*tch."-tex_da_PHOX
"I dig the sentiment but I feel like you can definitely choose a better drug than meth for your going away party. Like it just seems rather horrible at 97 years old when your body isn’t even physically up to that anymore".
"Heroin or something like that seems like it’d be more pleasurable at that point."-Addictive_System
Bébés
"Having kids.. I can appreciate both sides. Yes, waiting until that age means you'll be more financially stable, more mature and probably more patient."
"But, having them young means that you can enjoy your middle age more, because you're not parenting littles at the same time. You have more energy to play with them too."
"And when you're retired your kids are already quite settled adults and don't need you financially for extra support as much, so you can afford to do the travelling you've promised yourself since you were younger."
"There's no right time or age to have kids, do it when you want and not a second before!"-Filhopastry79
Cover Them All
"Getting a tattoo to cover my old self harm scars. I'm ashamed and embarrassed by them. I wish I could cover them now."
"But I cannot afford a tattoo, and I'd prefer to wait until my father passes away to avoid dealing with him being snarky. I love him, but he can be judgemental and a little too uptight."-occultatum-nomen
See anything up here that you are also saving for later?
Streaking To The South Pole
"Going to Antarctica to join the 300 club. Why? Because its expensive. Basically you go to the South pole, wait till its 100 below outside and then go to the sauna and crank it up to 200 degrees."
"And then (usually with aid of alcohol) you run out butt naked except for your feet, take a picture by the south pole flag as by the time you get to it, your body will be covered in thick frost that makes you look like the abominable snowman."
"And then run back to the sauna and subjecting your body to a 300 degree temperature difference... hence the 300 Club."-Youpunyhumans
Teaching The Youths
"Become a high school teacher. I want to have an accomplished career before doing this (probably in my 50's when I'll be close to retiring)."
"I'd like to teach mathematics and on the way also be a positive figure in children's lives, give them the kind of care that I wish that I had when I was their age."
"It's something I'm thinking about a lot because my upbringing was extremely rough personally. I was never a driven student, and teachers wrote me off as someone who 'should be a plumber' (also, nothing wrong with being a plumber, but the teacher that told that to my parents was most likely trying to put me down)."
"I am now a professional Economist working towards an MSc. It took me a while to get there (graduated at 26, moving from a 0.8 GPA to 3.4), but it is what it is."
"No one deserves to be shot down by figures that are supposed to mould the next generation, and I will do my best to be someone my students will remember all the way through College and beyond!"-Sperabo
Might As Well Have Fun With It
"I (M[ale]60) have a terminal bucket list. These are things I'll tap if I get a terminal diagnosis -- mostly, things that I are dangerous enough (or I perceive them to be dangerous enough) that don't want to risk them if things are going OK."
"Things like certain drugs, skydiving, or going back to scuba diving (I got bent badly enough that my diving doctor told me that diving again would most likely kill me)."
"Skydiving is something I'm saving for a dementia diagnosis -- as soon as I forget what that red handle is for, problem solved."-1tacoshort
These Low Effort Jobs Have Surprisingly High Salaries | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Have you ever worked one of those jobs that paid you to kinda sit there? If you have, you know the joy that comes with watching the entirety of Breaking Bad ...I Won't Grow Up
"Maturing, in the sense where I get boring and cranky, and only care about work. If its bound to happen to everybody, I will run away in the opposite direction from it as long as I possibly can."-thatonemanss
How about things you think are better NOT put off? Anything you disagree with?
Drugs Drugs Drugs
"In my personal opinion I believe somebody should do something at least once in their life. That includes drugs."
"If you ever do it, be in a safe environment, I have friends who are not druggies, who will watch over you and help you not gain an addiction. I know this might seem terrible but it's just my opinion, nobody answer agree with it."-IConsumeLead
Interesting Times Are A Curse
"Traveling, I would like to travel the world and see all the beautiful places it has to offer, but given the ever rising tensions and violence it seems the time will never be right...."-Badjib
Teeth And America's Sad Reality
"Going to the Dentist. I'm holding off until dental becomes included in healthcare and gets offered better benefits. How dental is not treated as seriously is insane."-xaviticus
"My teeth are essentially chalk, but I’m trying my hardest to avoid getting dentures as long as I can."
"I like having my own teeth, even if occasionally they explode when biting into food."-ManifestSaviour
These are things people are putting off out of some kind of necessity. Whether or not you agree with it, or recommend it as an expert, these are things people are making choices to do so as to not interfere with their lives.
Even if it seems important—necessity trumps all.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
People Share The Most Positive Developments The World Has Seen In The Last Decade
We're a few days away from 2020, and the news for the last few years has just been a tailspin of tragic. That doesn't mean the world is all bad, though.
As we enter a new decade, we wanted to remind you of some of the year's better moments.
Reddit user SuspiciousCustomer asked:
With the decade ending, what is a positive development since 2010 that everyone should know about?
So consider this highlights reel our New Years gift to you. 2019 punched us all pretty hard in our figurative faces, and 2020 may not be any kinder if we're all honest with ourselves. So it's important to look for the good. Allow us to shed some light on some positivity for you.
Here ya go fam, have some happy thoughts!
Amazing Animal Awesomeness
GiphyRhino populations have had a 41 percent increase in this decade.
- LexusVII
After a near extinction the humpback whale population has increased to 25,000 which is pre-whaling numbers!
Polar bears are doing really well.
- rjdim
Pandas are no longer considered as endangered species
Lots of Greyhound Racing industries are on the brink of closing down. I think this is good news, of course there is a lot to pick up after and to stop them from selling those dogs to other countries for racing or other horrible stuff.
Peace Out, Polio
Polio was eradicated over this decade, the last wild strain earlier this year! This makes it the second disease eradicated by humans. Smallpox was the first.
Print It
3D Printing has saved countless lives and pushed the boundaries for new technology in the future. From personalized bone implant techniques, to the ability to print hearts from stem cells, the sheer addition to modern medicine will be greatly remembered for the overwhelming popularity and advancement of this technology.
K9 Companions
It's not big and life changing or anything but, K9 officers, who have to develop intense emotional bonds with their dogs, now get the option to immediately adopt the dog after its retired. Previously the dog was auctioned off, and the officer either had to fight and pay way too much money, or give up a member of the family.
Helpful And Happy
The world just seems a lot more accepting nowadays and less judge-mental overall. People find it easier to come out as gay or bi or trans. Hobbies aren't looked down on. Having a hobby nowadays is cooler than whatever the hobby itself may be, because the world likes seeing uniqueness and differences.
There will always be that vocal minority, especially with the Internet making it easier to project their voices but day to day life just seems so much more positive than when I was growing up.
Bullying isn't cool anymore. Helping others is.
A Triumph Of Good
I think gay marriage and families with same sex parents here in the US is a triumph of good. I was brought up in the 70s and we had family friends, a couple, named Bob and Robert. They loved each other very much and my family just treated them like every other couple, which was with kindness. I remember my mom saying to me when I was a child how much they cared for our family and how sad it was that they couldn't have their own children.
These days they could raise kids. They would have made great parents! They passed away during the AIDS epidemic and never got to see that at least a good part of the US population saw them as equals. Back then nobody had to apologize for being anti gay. Still plenty of people now who don't feel the need. But the bar had shifted dramatically. That is a good thing, and it mostly happened in the last decade.
Thanks Obama
GiphyObama leaving office. Trump getting into office.
I like this one! It certainly has wakened us up to the threat of executive corruption. Hopefully Trump's legacy will be that we strengthen the systems and never again have a traitor crook like him in office again.
I think it could also renew the Republican Party so that they need to rely less on voter suppression and disinformation to win elections, which HAS to be good for our democracy.
The Youth Lead
More younger people are in office in the US now than there were at the beginning of the decade. Regardless of political persuasion, I see that as a good thing because young people are the ones who will have to live in the world long after the older generations die out.
Falling For Foreskin
Circumcision is falling in the US, and more people are becoming aware of how immoral it is.
- Tyler630
The fight against Male Genital Mutilation is finally getting some attention. Lot of push back from... anti-male interest groups, but people are starting to wake up to the fact that cutting anything off of a baby for cosmetic or religious reasons is barbaric.
We can stop both FGM and MGM in the US if we all try.
Extreme Poverty
Between 2010-2020, extreme poverty has dropped between 1/3 and 1/2, and less than 10% of the world lives on less than US$1.90/day, a number than was as high as 40% as late as 1981. Extreme poverty will likely be a thing of the past in the next few decades.